Constipation - shall I just stick some dynamite up my bum?

[TheMoistWorldOfSpetimusQuench]

I have just given up smoking and my bowels are on strike in protest.

Have tried senna and dulcolax but nothing happening for 3 days now

Drinking loads of water, eating wholegrains & fruit & so on. I think I need something radical...

Any advice?
And have any ex-smokers experienced this too? Will I go back to normal eventually?

Try Mil-Par, which is milk of magnesia. Very old fashioned, tastes pretty grim but you can put it in milk. I got v.constipated after recent bowel surgery and was told to take this x20 ml twice a day (that's a little more than it says on the bottle). I went the next day, 4 times, and oh the relief...!

It works differently that senna, it's a stool softener which makes them easier to pass. Whereas senna works by increasing the activity in your bowel.

Dried apricots normally have a spectacular result for me too!

Can't help on whether giving up smoking bungs you up, but well done for giving it up.

Hope you get some relief soon. Mil-Par was really great, bit tricky to track down though - tried a few chemists.

Thanks spud. I will try to track some down.

My doc recommended prune juice and it sorted me out immediately - a glass at night and in the morning . As it says on the back of the bottle - it really gets you going....
HTH

It's shame that being unpalatable and minging is a prerequisite of an effective constipation remedy.

Had some dried apricots earlier & nearly heaved. As for museli

Thanks for your suggestions though!

movicol

Aah Kerrymum, I have tried it. And all the other Dorset ones too, but they just make me gag. Everyone else seems to love them though. Perhaps I have a unsophisticated palate or something

Strong black coffee!

oxypowder. not cheap, about £26 for 120 capsules but, absolutley fantastic! Just like a home colonic irrigation. No pain and discomfort in the stomach either like you get with laxatives.
You can buy it over the internet and it's quick delivery

Don't worry im an ex smoker and it does bung you up when you first stop but you should start to feel better in about 2 weeks maybe a bit more. I think it because we are used to having a fag and a coffee and then neading the loo, its habite good luck with the smoking ive quit for 3 years now and i feels realy good so keep strong !! xx

Wishing you lots of poos xx

No movement with dulcolax? Blimey, the only time I've taken that I thought my insides were going to fall out.

Have you tried lactulose - takes a few days to work but it very effective IME.